Fume hood with vented storage compartment



Dec. 5, 1961 F. GRusHoFF FUME HOOD WITH VENTED STORAGE COMPARTMENT 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 3, 1959 INVENTOR. f/ED GQUSHOFF.'

Dec. 5, 1961 F. GRusHol-F 3,011,425

FUME HOOD WITH VENTED STORAGE COMPARTMENT Filed June 5, 1959 2Sheets-Sheet 2 L O INVENTOR.

55D GPUSHOF/-T Arron/Erf 3,011,425 ^Patented Dec. 5, 1961 3,011,425 FUMEHOOD WITH VENTED STORAGE COMPAR'IMENT Fred Grusholf, Kew Gardens, N.Y.,assignor to Norbute Corporation, New York, NX., a corporation ofDelaware s Filed June 3, 1959. Ser. No. 817,940 5 Claims. (Cl. 98-115)This invention relates to fume hoods for drawing off toxic and noxiousgases from materials placed therein and also to storage cabinets forstoring such materials. More particularly, the invention relates to acombined fume hood and storage compartment.

Fume hoods and storage compartments for use in connection withchemicals, Vsolvents and the like, are well known in the art, andconsiderable effort has already been devoted to the eicient flushing ofrfume hoods so as lto assure the complete removal of gases therefromWithout spillage of such gases into the surrounding area when the fumehood access window is open. It is also well known in the art to employseparate vented storage cabinets which usually comprise shelves and anexhaust duct connected thereto for drawing off fumes and gases from thecabinet. Y

However, it has been found in practice that those using fume hoodsoftentimes mount shelves within the fume hood itself for the purpose ofstoring quantities of frequently used materials giving off toxic ornoxious fumes. While this is done, of course, for the purpose ofobviating the need to transport the particular materials back and forthbetweenthe storage compartment and the fume hood, it does present adistinct disadvantage in that the shelving, and the containers for thematerials stored inthe fume hood, interfere with the air flow patternWithin the hood, thus impairing eflicient iiushing of the hood.

In essence, the present invention contributes a combined fume hood andstorage compartment which assures the desired air iiow pattern withinthe fume hood and also continuous flushing of the storage compartment,4and at the same time provides accessibility of the materials storedl inthe compartment from' the Working chamber of the fume Ihood.

As an important feature of the present concept, the fume hood andstorage compartment are so arranged as to constitute a single unit andmeans are provided establishing communication between the workingchamber of the fume hood and the storage compartment whereby the meansfor exhausting gases from the working chamber also exhaust gases lfromthe storage compartment.

As a further feature of the invention, an access opening may be providedin the partition separating the working chamber of the fume hood and thestorage compartment, and means may then be provided which are operableto open and close this access opening. The storage compartment may, ofcourse, have an additional opening providing access to its interior inthe normal manner from v outside of the unit and this opening is alsocontrolled by suitable closure means such as sliding glass doors.

As a further feature of the invention, the means establishingcommunication between the storage compartment and the fume hood for thepassage of gases therethrough are so located relatively to the storagecompartment as to assure the complete and efficient removal therefrom ofgases that are both heavier than air and tend to fall and gases whichare lighter than air and tend to rise. In order to assure the properilushing of the storage cabinet, means are also provided establishingcommunication between the interior of the cabinet and the ambient roomatmosphere. The storage shelves within the cabinet are arranged to beslightly spaced from the walls thereof and are preferably fabricated ofmetal mesh so as to enable the air to iow freely around and through theshelves.

The present invention contemplates the combination of the storagecabinet with a fume hood of the type disclosed in co-pending applicationof Clio-rd A. Wojan, Serial No. 710,783 entitled Fume Hood, for example,and having a plenum chamber therein in communication with a suitableexhaust duct, the means establishing communication between the storagecompartment and the fume hood constituting ports in the partitiontherebetween so arranged asto permit gases to flow from thefcompartmentinto the plenum chamber. In this way, the exhaust system conncted to theplenum chamber will be effective in the storage compartment, b-ut theair flowing from the storage compartment will not interfere with the airiloW pattern in the Working chamber of the fume hood.

There has thus been outlined rather broadly the most important featuresof the present invention in order that a detailed description thereofthat follows may be better understood and in order that the presentcontribution to the -art may be better appreciated. There are, ofcourse, additional features of the invention that will be describedhereafter and which will form the subject of claims appended hereto.Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception on whichthe present disclosure is based may readily be utilized as the basis fordesigning other structures for carrying out the several puroses of thisinvention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded asincluding such equivalent constructions as do not depart from theconcept and scope of this invention.

A specific embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes ofillustration and description and is shown in the accompanng drawings,forming a part of the speciiication, wherein:

FIG. l is a fragmentary, front elevation view of a combined fume hoodand storage compartment in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional View taken along the lines 2 2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines 3 3 of FIG. l;

l vFIG. 4 is a side elevational' view of the device of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the lines 5 5of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of the structureillustrated in FIG. 5.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly, to FIGS. l and 2thereof, there is shown a combined fume hood 10 and storage compartment11 supported on av suitable base 13 and arranged in contiguous orjuxtaposed relation so as to be separated by a common wall 12.

The fume hood 10 may be substantially similar to that shown anddescribed in co-pending `application Serial No.

710,783 referred to hereinbefore and to which attention is invited for adetailed 'description thereof. For purposes of the present invention,however, a general description of .the fume hood will suf`n`ce.Accordingly, the fume hood10 may comprise generally the commonwall 12,face wall 14, .rear wall 15 and top and bottom walls 16 and 17,respectively, the latter of which may be a slab of stone or similarmaterial. A sixth wall (not shown), isV of course, provided opposite thecommonwall 12 to complete the enclosureconstituting the fume hood.

Within the hood v10 there are provided a main or working chamber 18 andplenum chambers 19 and 20, the first of which plenum chambers is formedby a partition 21 that is spaced from the rear Wall 15 and may extendparallel to that wall along a portion of its vertical length commencingfrom a, point slightly above the bottom wall 17, the upper region of thepartition sloping forwardly to a point intermediate the walls 14 and 15and slightly below the top wall 16. The spaces between the partition 21and the upper and lower walls 16 and 17 permit communication between theWorking chamber 118 and the plenum chamber 19, it being understood thatthis communication may be effected -by openings in the partion 21, orbetween the partition 21 and the wall 12 and the sixth wall (not shown).

The top wall 16 is ported, as at 22, and a duct 24 communicates throughthe port 22 with the upper portion of the plenum chamber 19 and leads tosuitable exhaust blower (not shown).

The second plenum chamber 20 is formed by perforated plate means 25which may be angularly connected to the face wall 14 and the top wall 16intermediate the face and rear walls 14 and 15, respectively. This platemeans may extend between the wall 12 and the sixth wall (not shown). Aduct 26 communicates with this plenum chamber 20 through a port 23 andleads to a suitable blower for introducing air into the plenum chamber20 and thus to the working chamber 18. The plate means 25 is formed audarranged relatively to the working chamber 18 so as to control the pathof air from the plenum chamber 20, through the working charnber 18 andto the plenum chamber 1-9, from which it is exhausted through duct 24,the details of this formation and arrangement being clearly set forth inapplication Serial No. 710,783 already alluded to.

The face. wall 14 has a vertical way 27 for receiving a verticallymovable sash 29 having a transparent pane mounted therein. This wall 14is also louvered as at 3) ladjacent the bottom wall 17 to admitatmospheric air into the lower part of the working chamber.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 5 the common wall 12 is formed with anopening 31 in which is mounted a sash frame y32 for slidably supportinga pair of glass panels 34 provided with finger grips 35, which may takethe form of recesses, for example, on the side thereof facing theworking chamber 1S.

Referring now to FIGS. l, 3 and 4 to 6, it .will be seen that thestorage compartment 11 is juxtaposed relatively to the fume hood so thatits rear wall is the common wall 12 between the two. Thus, the storagecompartment 11 may be accessible from the exterior through its wallopposite the common wall 12 and is also accessible from the workingchamber 1S of the fume hood through the access opening 31. The sidewalls of the compartment may thusr comprise extensions 14a and a of theface wall 14 and the rear wall 15, respectively, of the fume hood 10;and likewise the top and bottom walls 16a and 17a of the compartment maycomprise extensions of top and bottom walls 16 and 17.

In the form of storage compartment that has been chosen forillustration, the front wall actually comprises upper and lower pairs ofsliding glass panels 35, 36 and 37, 39, respectively, separated by across-brace 40 extending between the side walls 14a and 15a. Thiscross-brace 40 is formed with upper and lower ways 41 and 42 whichcooperate respectively with opposed ways 44 and 45 in upper and lowerwalls 16a and 17a, respectively, to slidably support the panels 35, 36and 37, 39. Suitable nger grips 46 are provided on the glass panels andmay conveniently take the form of recesses. It will be understood, ofcourse, that the exterior access openings in the storage compartment maybe provided in any of the exterior walls thereof and need notnecessarily be in the wall opposite the common wall 12. Additionallouvered openings'43 are provided in the storage compartment, preferablyin the lower part of the front wall thereof, as shown, to permit ambientair to enter the compartment 11.

The interior of the storage compartment 11 is tted with a series ofshelves 47 which may be supported on movable pegs 49 insertable intoselected recesses 5t) in the walls 14a and 15a whereby the shelves 47may be raised or lowered to accommodate storage material of varioussizes. The shelves are preferably so proportioned as to be supported bythe pegs 49 in slightly spaced relation to the surrounding wallsurfaces, as clearly shown in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6, in order that air andgases may ow freely therebetween. Additionally, the shelves 47 arepreferably formed of corrosion resistant mesh, such as of stainlesssteel, for example, so that air and gas may pass therethrough.

In accordance with the present concept, at least one opening is providedin the common wall 12 establishing communication between the storagecompartment 1.1 and the rst plenum chamber 19 in order that the meansexhausting gases from the plenum chamber will also serve to exhaust thestorage compartment; but for best results, it is preferred, that twosuch openings 51 and 52 be furnished, one at the lower end of the plenumchamber 19, adjacent the intersection of the walls 17 and 15, and theother at the upper region of the plenum chamber adjacent theintersection of the Walls 15 and 16. In this way, and because gases inthe storage compartment are free to move vertically, around and throughthe shelves, gases which are heavier than air and tend to fall, as well-as Vthose which are lighter than air and tend to rise are drawn off andexhausted.

yFrom the foregoing description, it will be seen that the presentconcept constributes a novel combined fume hood and storage compartmentso arranged that materials stored in the compartment -are accessiblefrom the working chamber within the hood and yet, do not interfere.

with the desired ow pattern of flushing air passing through the hood,nor do they occupy space in the working chamber. Furthermore, as thefume hood is ilushed by air entering through the second plenum chamber20 or through the chamber 20 and the face wall opening, and leavingIthrough the rst plenum chamber 19, regardless of the position of thesash 29, as explained in detail in the copending application 710,783,already referred to, the storage compartment is also flushed by airentering the louvered openings 43 therein and ilcwing around Iandthrough the shelves 47 and into the plenum chamber 19 and the exhaustduct 24. In this connection, it is preferred that, if upper and loweropenings such as at 52 and 51 are used, the total area of the louveredopenings be at least slightly greater than one of the openings 52 and51, thus to assure an air supply for the storage compartment suiicientto allow an ample air flow through both of the openings 51 and 52. Itshould also be noted that the present invention assures. eflicientcontinuous ushing of both heavier and lighterv than air gases from thestorage compartment.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to apreferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the artthat various modifications may be made without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention and it is intended to cover all such changesand modifications in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device of the class described comprising, in combination: amulti-walled fume hood having a working chamber and tirst and secondplenum chambers each in communication with said working chamber wherebygases may flow therebetween, a multi-walled storage cornpartment, saidhood and compartment being in juxtaposed relation to one another so asto be separated by a Vcommon wall, an access opening in said commonwall, closure means operable to open land close said access opening toprovide access between said working chamber and said compartment, meansfor exhausting gases from said rst plenum chamber and thus from saidworking chamber, means for supplying air to said second plenum chamberand thus to said working chamber whereby said second plenum chamber andair supply means and said rst plenum chamber and gas exhaust meanscooperate to flush said working chamber, means establishingcornmunication between said compartment and the atmosphere, andapertures in said common wall establishing continuous communicationbetween the upper and lower regions of said sto-rage compartment andsaid rst plenum chamber whereby said means for exhausting said rstplenum chamber and said working chamber also exhaust said storagecompartment said means establishing communication between saidcompartment and the atmosphere being greater in area than either of saidapertures in the common wall establishing continuous communica tionbetween the upper and lower regions of the storage compartment and thefirst plenum chamber.

2. In a device of the class described including a fume hood having arectangular cabinet formed of joined top, front, side and rear walls andadapted to be seated on a counter or base to define therewith lacompartment, said top Wall having a pair of openings therein, one'ofsaid pair of openings being an air exhaust opening and the other of saidpair of openings being an air intake opening, said intake opening beingylocated adjacent said front wall and said exhaust opening being locatedadjacent said rear Wall, a substantially imperforate, tirst baleextending across said compartment and dividing said compartment into aworking chamber and a irst plenum chamber, the top portion of saidbaille being disposed vertically intermediate said intake and exhaustopenings and the bottom portion of said baille being disposedintermediate said front and rear walls, portions of the top and bottomof said bale being spaced respectively from said top and bottom walls topermit the passage of air from said working chamber to said plenumchamber, a second baffle mounted in said compartment and extendingacross the path of air which passes through said intake opening, saidsecond baille extending at an acute angle from said yfront wall to aportion of said top Wall intermediate said intake and said exhaustopenings and defining a second plenum chamber with said front, top andside walls of said compartment, said second baille having holes thereindisposed to direct air from said second plenum chamber into said workingchamber along paths which extend away from said front wall and towardssaid first baie, said front wall being formed at least in part by apanel movable along a predetermined path to close and unclose said frontwall, said path of said panel being outside of the path of air moving tosaid intake opening and into said working chamber; the improvement whichcomprises a vented storage compartment, having a wall in common with oneof the Vwalls of said fume hood, said common wall being provided withmeans establishing continuous communication therethrough and betweensaid compartment and said working chamber exhaust opening, said exhaustopening thus serving to exhaust gases `from said fume hood workingchamber and said compartment. l

3. A device according to claim 2, and further characterized by an accessopening in said common wall between said fume -hood and said compartmentwhereby access is established between said working chamber and saidcompartment, and closure means operable to open and close said accessopening.'

4. A device according to claim 2, and further characterized in thatmeans are provided in said compartment establishing communicationbetween the interior of said compartment and the atmosphere.

5. In a device of the class described including a fume hood having arectangular cabinet formed of joined top, front, side and rear walls andadapted to be `seated on a counter or base to 'define therewith acompartment, said top wall having a pair of openings therein, one ofsaid pair of openings being an air exhaust opening and the other of saidpair of openings being an air intake opening, said intake opening beinglocated adjacent said front wall and said exhaust opening being locatedadjacent said rear wall, a substantially imperforate, rst bale extendingacross said compartment and dividing said compartment into a workingchamber and a first plenum chamber, the top portion of said 4baillebeing disposed vertically intermediate said intake and exhaust openingsand the bottom portion of said baille being disposed intermediate saidfront and rear walls, portions of the top and bottom of said bale beingspaced respectively from said top and bottom Walls to permit the passageof air from said working chamber to said plenum chamber, a second battlemounted in said compartment and extending across the path of air whichpasses through said intake opening, said second baille extending at anacute angle from said front wall to a portion of said top wallintermediate said intake and said exhaust openings and defining a secondplenum chamber with said front, top and side walls of said compartment,said second baille having holes therein disposed to direct air fro-msaid Seco-nd plenum chamber into said Working chamber along paths whichextend away from said front Wall and towards said 'lrst battle, saidfront wall being formed at least in part by a panel movable along apredetermined path to close and unclose said front Wall, said path ofsaid panel being outside of the path of air moving to said intakeopening and into said working chamber; the improvement which comprises avented storage compartment, having a wall in common with one of thewalls of said fume hood, said common wal-l being provided with openingsestablishing 'continuous communication therethrough and between saidcompartment `and said working chamber exhaust opening, said exhaustopening thus serving to exhaust gases from said fume hood workingchamber and said compartment and port means provided in said compartmentestablishing communication between the interior of the compartment andthe atmosphere, said port means being greater in total area than any oneof said openings in said common wall.

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